Tube



y May 18, 1943 l c, A, TOME K 2,319,275

l TUBE Filed Marlon 27, 1941 wmmmmp j Patented May 18, 1943 UNITED f'sTATEs PATENT OFFICE Charles A. Toxlzilmington, Del.

Application March 27, 1941, Serial No. 385,477

2 Claims.

This invention relates to a container and to a method of sealing the mouthsy of containers.

It is the object of this invention to provide a satisfactory container for perishable goods which may provide hermetical'sealing, protection, and visibility of the product. Another object of the invention is to provide a container with satisfactory properties at less cost than the prices prevailing for the tubes of the prior art.

The objects of the invention are accomplished, generally speaking, by an invention which comprises, in its preferred form, a flexible tube, a ring to reenforce the portion of the tube which is to be sealed having an interior circumference about equal to that of the exterior circumference of the tube and having an inner circumferential groove, and a resilient disk of reversible` curvature which in seated position seals the tube by warping it into the groove and holding it there under pressure. The preferred form of the invention is shown in Figures 1, 2, 3, and 4. A modification thereof is shown in Figures and 7.

In the drawing Figure 1 is a drawing of the invention in section showing a method of assembling the several parts; Figure 2 shows another step in the assembly of the parts; Figure 3 shows the tube used as a container for a cigar and sealed at both ends; Figure 4 shows an alternative method of sealing the lower end of the tube in Figure 3; Figures 5 and 7 show a modication of the invention; Figure 6 is a plan view of the ring of Figure 5 or, equally, of Figure 1. All the figures, except Figure 6, show the invention in section.

In the drawing like numbers refer to like parts. Referring now to Figures 1, 2, and 3, l0 is a tube. This tube may be made of any flexible pellicle. Transparent iiexible pellicles of cellulosic materials or of rubber or rubber-like materials are preferred because of their imperviousness, and because they permit inspection of the contents of the container. However, any suitable, iiexible pellicle such as one of paper or of thin metal, such as tin, may be used. The choice of material for making the pellicle is/bounded only by the requirements for packaging a particular commodity. 3 is a curved resilient Washer which may. in ordinary cases dealing with the sealing of a round orifice, be considered as being a portion o-f a sphere having a flat base. The shape of the washer may be made to t the orifice to be closed. This washer may be made of iiber or metal, but is preferably made of a transparent material such as cellulose acetate, cellulose nitrate, other cellulose esters and ethers, or synthetic resins of various types. 20 is a ring having a bevelled edge 22 and a groove 2l. The ring may be made of any satisfactory material such as wood or glass, but is preferably made of an easily moldable material such as a synthetic resin.

In assembling the tube, as shown in Figure 1, the end of the tube Ill is inserted in the ring 20; the washer 3 is pushed upward within the tube until it encounters the bevel 22, which tends to center it and guide it into position. The bevel 22 may be made slightly larger than the upper internal diameter of the ring, the same size, or, but not preferably, smaller. In the figures shown` in the drawing the internal size of the ring is such that the reversal of curvature of the disk takes place against the upper wall of the groove. When the edge of the disk strikes the upper wall of the groove, pressure is continued until the curvature of the disk is reversed, as shown in Figure 3. In some instances thereversal will occur against the bevelled edge, in which case pressure must be continued until the disk seats itself in the groove. one end and may be filled from the other end, after which that end will also' be sealed. For example, in Figure 3 the tube is illustrated as having been designed for the 'reception of a cigar and as having been sealed at the lower end by cementing at Il.

If it is desired, the lower end may be sealed by the same method which is used at the top, as shown in Figure 4. The tube l0 is thrust by the disk 3 into the groove of ring 20. In this case, since the disk is inserted from below, the disk in seated position is sprung inwardly and cannot be removed without great di'iculty.

In the invention hereinabove described there is provi-ded a sealed container which can be emptied by the simple expedient of reversing the curvature of disk 3, whereupon the contents may readily be removed.

In Figures 5 and 7 is shown a modification of the invention in which the groove 5l within the ring 50 is large. The application of the curved disk is the same in this instance as in the others. In all forms of the invention it is desirable that the disk shall be held under some slight pressure so that a rm seal will result. 'I'his may be accomplished by making the disk slightly larger than the largest part of the groove. l

'Ihe tube is now sealed at v'I'he containers of my invention are suited to the reception of foods, medicines, smoking materials, such as cigars and cut tobacco, cosmetics, jewelry, or in fact for almost any packaging need.

I'he advantag of' the invention are in the production of a container of low cost. excellent appearance, and high protecting value. Another advantage of the invention is the production of a sealing means, the disk of reversible curvature, which can be used in a great variety of places. Other advantages of the invention will be apparent.

As many apparently widely different embodiments of this invention may be made without departing from the spirit and scope thereof, it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to slams the speciiic embodiments thereof fined by the appended claims.

I claim:

except as de- 1. A container comprising a exible tube, a 

